JOE RAWIRI'S EXPLOIT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18566, 23 August 1922, Page 4

JOE RAWIRI'S EXPLOIT.

AN EXCITING ARREST

POLICE UNDER FIRE. ( ACCUSED SENTENCED TO FI Vfl YEARS. ALSO DECLARED A HABIT! AL CRIMINAL. At the Supreme Court yesterday Joe Rawiri, a sturdily built Maori, was charged with shooting with intent to prevent lawful arrest, further, with escaping from lawful custody. Constable A. McCowan said he arrested accused on June 2!tth an . took him to the police station al Kaetihi. The latter tried to escapt and a struggle took place. Witnc-s tei-ei'ed several severe punches an I i« as bump'd against the counter. Ac eused finally got away, although m [the snuggle he left his coat and If (overcoat behind. Accused was sub sequently located -at Manga nui-o-teau, (where witness proceeded with c«uislables McMullau and Ji. Wilson •of Wanganui. They found ait, I'd sitting by a tent peeling potaI toes. They heard him talking '<> himself. Accused grabbed a rifle I put it to his shoulder, and called ■ out: “ You . I’ve got yo t [now. 'Hands up. or it will be cer I lain death." Witness shouted ba \, [“Don’t be foolish. Joe.." At.u- U ifired at the police, who sought covr. I Witness got behind a puuga ttee [Accused made oft along a ridge until

he got. behind a big stump- Ac cased fired at the punga tree ana the bullet went over witness's head Ail the police had revolvers. I second shot tired by accused wen’ close to witness. He fired four n live limes altogether, and then thpolice returned the li e. \ < u also fired at the other constableas afterwards two shots were fu.n,; in a stump that Constable M' .'lull n sheltered behind. Accused next jumped down a steep batik and got away. un searching, the polo, found six empty shells. Wiines did not see accused again until was re-arrested. Accused th-n complained of a wound he bad received. and witness said to accused it was the latter’s fault. Accused said that something came over him and he went mad. Constable .1. McMullau gave corroborative evidence, and said before the. shooting commenced accused

threatened to fire it the police came any closer. Accused was very agitated. He pointed the rille at witne s and called out: “Get back you —, or I’ll shoot you.” Witness tried to get into conversation with him, and asked it the rifle was load cd. The reply was: “By I'll show you.” Witness got behind a stump and Constable McCowan, who was tn charge of the party, called out: "Let him have it boys; he means to get us if he can.” The police then opened fire. Proceeding, witness said that he believed accused could have shot him

if he wanted to. After arrest on the following day, accused said In was sorry for what he had don.f also that he was to blame lor being so pig-headed. He said that fie could bate shot witness had he wanted to. but he only wanted to frighten them so as to get away. He said that when he saw the police he did not know what he was doing. He repeated that he did not want to shout witness, but he did not like Con stable McCowan. Accused asked what he would get if he pleaded guilty. Witness replied that he had no idea. Accused replied: “I suppose this means I will spend the rest of my life in gaol.” Constable Roger Wilson said several shots were fired before the police returned it.

Constable Addison gave evidence in regard to the re-arrest of the accused on the day following the shooting. Accused was at, a whare and said that he was prepared to give himself up. He was’ found to be wounded. He told them where he got the rifle, and said he was frightened of Constable McCowan. Edmond Edwards identified tbe rifle as his property, and said that it and some cartridges were left al the tent. Accused was away for tour days and on his return found that the rifle and ammunition were gone.

Accused gave evidence on his own behalf, and said he did not shoot with the rifle, but he admitted being in possession of it. He denied that he used the words as staled by the police. His Honour (to accused)? You 1 have heard the police state that you fired the rifle four or five times in I their direction?—l did not fire the , rifle. I had it in my hand, but 1 I did not fire a shot out of it. Mr Marshall; You say it is untrue?—Yes. I Is it true that you said to Constable McCowan that something came over you and you went mad?—No» J said I was nervous. I' Did you say; By * m shoot you?—No. You did not like Constable McCowan —Yes, that is so. Did you say to Constable MeMullan: “I’m to blame for being so pigheaded”?—Yes. What did you mean?—Because I ran away.

Did you say you could have shot them dead?—No. You could if you had .wanted to? —I did not want to. Did you say: If you pleaded guilty how long would you get —Yes. Why did you say that?—Becauso of the trouble I was in. His Honour said that it was unlikely that the police would have invented .the story. The case seemed to be a perfectly clear one. It was for the jury to decide if the accused fired towards the police to pre.vent being apprehended. The jury, after a short retirement, found accused guilty of assault, escaping from custody, and with firing at the police, but without intent to kill. His Honour said the report before him showed that when accused was I!) he was convicted for breaking and entering and theft, followed by more convictions for theft. In 1915 he was declared a habitual criminal, but was allotved out of gaol on probation in 1919. He reported himself regularly for about a year, but on going to Raetihi he did not report. Apparently, however, the authorities did not interfere with him, but he was again convicted of theft from a dwelling. The present offence wus a serious one, as be might easily have killed one of the constables, and it would then have meant him standing his trial for murder. | The prisoner was again declared a habitual criminal and sentenced to Ifivc years’ hard labour.